Pooh
08-30-2003, 06:44 AM
By Sekou Smith
[email protected]
August 29, 2003
The courtship of Rick Carlisle will continue for the next few days, but his hiring as the Indiana Pacers' next coach seems inevitable.
Carlisle, the former Pacers assistant, was in town all day Thursday meeting with Pacers officials at Conseco Fieldhouse. He could return to the fieldhouse as early as Tuesday to be introduced as the successor to Isiah Thomas, who was fired Wednesday after three seasons.
Pacers CEO Donnie Walsh said the details of a contract would have to be worked out with Carlisle's agent before any official announcement could be made. The Labor Day weekend is one reason that announcement won't be made before Tuesday.
"Nothing gets done until Tuesday at the earliest," Walsh said. "We're talking to Rick right now. He just got in here today, so we'll see what happens. He's the first guy on our list and I really think he wants to be here, but there's a lot that has to be worked out before anything is final."
Carlisle is the handpicked choice of Pacers president of basketball operations Larry Bird, who categorized Thursday's talks as positive.
"He didn't want to leave here the first time," Bird said when asked about Carlisle's intentions. "I know he didn't want to leave this city. His wife (Donna) cried when they left before."
Carlisle lost out to Thomas in July 2000 when they were the finalists to replace Bird, who stepped down after three seasons coaching the Pacers.
Carlisle was an assistant to Bird then, his main responsibility being the coordination of the team's offense.
Bird said Carlisle had every intention of remaining with the Pacers then, with his sights set on the head coaching job.
"I can tell you that the negotiations are ongoing," Bird said. "We'll go from here and see what we can get done."
Carlisle put a positive spin on the day's events.
"Things are going well and that's about all I can say right now," he said.
Carlisle spent most of the day at the fieldhouse after driving to town late Wednesday night from his home in Detroit. At one point, he was seen on the practice court at the fieldhouse talking with Pacers consultant Chuck Person. Both men moved quickly out of sight when they realized they were being watched. Carlisle never addressed the media formally.
Bird said he wasn't sure if Carlisle, 42, would return to the fieldhouse today for more talks or return to Detroit, where he coached the Pistons before being fired May 31 after back-to-back 50-win seasons, including an appearance in the Eastern Conference finals last season.
Carlisle's firing puzzled NBA observers, many of whom scoffed at reports of Carlisle's gruff personality being the reason he was let go. Bird remains unfazed by any criticism of Carlisle, a man he's known for years.
Bird and Carlisle played together in Boston for three seasons. They've already proven they can work together, having done it for three seasons on the Pacers' staff. They share many of the same philosophies on and off the court, Bird said, something that will bolster any relationship.
"Any time you bring in a new coach, it adds a certain freshness," Bird said.
"You have a new style and a new way of doing things, and hopefully he can get our guys to play the game the way I like it to be played."
[email protected]
August 29, 2003
The courtship of Rick Carlisle will continue for the next few days, but his hiring as the Indiana Pacers' next coach seems inevitable.
Carlisle, the former Pacers assistant, was in town all day Thursday meeting with Pacers officials at Conseco Fieldhouse. He could return to the fieldhouse as early as Tuesday to be introduced as the successor to Isiah Thomas, who was fired Wednesday after three seasons.
Pacers CEO Donnie Walsh said the details of a contract would have to be worked out with Carlisle's agent before any official announcement could be made. The Labor Day weekend is one reason that announcement won't be made before Tuesday.
"Nothing gets done until Tuesday at the earliest," Walsh said. "We're talking to Rick right now. He just got in here today, so we'll see what happens. He's the first guy on our list and I really think he wants to be here, but there's a lot that has to be worked out before anything is final."
Carlisle is the handpicked choice of Pacers president of basketball operations Larry Bird, who categorized Thursday's talks as positive.
"He didn't want to leave here the first time," Bird said when asked about Carlisle's intentions. "I know he didn't want to leave this city. His wife (Donna) cried when they left before."
Carlisle lost out to Thomas in July 2000 when they were the finalists to replace Bird, who stepped down after three seasons coaching the Pacers.
Carlisle was an assistant to Bird then, his main responsibility being the coordination of the team's offense.
Bird said Carlisle had every intention of remaining with the Pacers then, with his sights set on the head coaching job.
"I can tell you that the negotiations are ongoing," Bird said. "We'll go from here and see what we can get done."
Carlisle put a positive spin on the day's events.
"Things are going well and that's about all I can say right now," he said.
Carlisle spent most of the day at the fieldhouse after driving to town late Wednesday night from his home in Detroit. At one point, he was seen on the practice court at the fieldhouse talking with Pacers consultant Chuck Person. Both men moved quickly out of sight when they realized they were being watched. Carlisle never addressed the media formally.
Bird said he wasn't sure if Carlisle, 42, would return to the fieldhouse today for more talks or return to Detroit, where he coached the Pistons before being fired May 31 after back-to-back 50-win seasons, including an appearance in the Eastern Conference finals last season.
Carlisle's firing puzzled NBA observers, many of whom scoffed at reports of Carlisle's gruff personality being the reason he was let go. Bird remains unfazed by any criticism of Carlisle, a man he's known for years.
Bird and Carlisle played together in Boston for three seasons. They've already proven they can work together, having done it for three seasons on the Pacers' staff. They share many of the same philosophies on and off the court, Bird said, something that will bolster any relationship.
"Any time you bring in a new coach, it adds a certain freshness," Bird said.
"You have a new style and a new way of doing things, and hopefully he can get our guys to play the game the way I like it to be played."